There is something quite romantic about going back in time and reading what I was doing exactly a year ago this time. The act of documenting my life publicly sometimes makes me feel vulnerable, but when I go back and review, it makes me feel accomplished.
A year ago, I lived in Vermont and had no idea that I was about to be a homeowner. The most important thing that I kept praying every night, having my father live with us rather than being alone during the pandemic, would come true.
Looking back, it was not easy, but I feel beyond grateful. I know it sounds cliche, but it is true.
June 2021 left a mark in our lives as we lost my father-in-law. Dwight came down from Maine as soon as we found out that his health is declining. Sadly, things progressed quickly, and he left peacefully on June 2nd. I pray that my mom welcomed him with open arms and that he is in a better place.
A Much Needed Getaway:
After the funeral, Dwight left as he had to go back to work. I felt so bad because I didn’t want him to be alone right after losing his father. So, I booked a flight to Maine and went there.
If you are following me on Instagram, you probably saw my 10-day trip to Maine. It was wonderful to take a break from work and get a chance to actually have a vacation without having to worry about getting the virus.
Boothbay Harbor, where Dwight lives and works, is a beautiful small town North East of Portland, Maine. It is a quintessential coastal New England town that is perfect for an unplugged vacation.
The only problem (at least for me) was that the temperatures were around the 50s, and I did not do a good job of picking the right clothes. I knew that it would be cooler than Georgia but didn’t expect it to be that cold.
Still, I had a wonderful time taking long walks, boat trips, and eating my weight in lobster rolls.
On one of the days, I took a quick trip to Portland to do some sightseeing, eating, and shopping. It hasn’t changed much since my last time there a few years ago, except that my new favorite lobster roll place is no longer Eventide.
Don’t get me wrong, their lobster rolls are good, but I thought that The Highroller Lobster Co. had a superior role. If you ever visit, be sure to try it. I promise it won’t disappoint.
What is working?
Raised beds/Gardening:
If you read last month’s life update post, you might remember how frustrated I felt with my summer raised-bed project. After chatting with my friend Alexandra and applying some of her strategies, we started seeing immediate results.
I don’t know if it is because of those recommendations or the frequent rain showers that Georgia is known for, but my raised beds look amazing. We have the most delicious heirloom tomatoes.
Plus, my herbs are doing much better. I have three different varieties of basil, cilantro, and thyme. Italian parsley is still a bit of a challenge. We just moved it to more of a shady area, and it immediately started doing better.
I am learning that growing your own vegetables is all about patience and love, and it is so worth the effort.
Sadly, the ranunculus died, but who knows, maybe it will survive the winter and give us babies next year. We will see…
Want to know more about my gardening adventures?
- Setting up the raised beds
- Dreaming of a house with ranunculus flowers – Watch it from the beginning
- Things are not going too well
Partnerships with Friends:
Having been blogging for 8 years now, the most important lesson I learned is that you can not do this alone. It took me a long time to connect with other bloggers but now being in this community feels special.
One of those friends, Liren of Kitchen Confidante, and I had a fun chat last week on her podcast. It was a fun and honest conversation about my journey through blogging and working from home full time doing what I love to do.
Google Makes Algorithm Changes, Again:
But this time, it didn’t hit me too severely. 🧿 After almost two years of a downturn, after the most recent ( June 4th algorithm update), I feel like things are getting better at the blog front.
Though I learned the biggest lesson of my life, the ups and downs of managing an online business are natural, and the only way to beat it is to have multiple sources of income. I can talk about this stuff forever, but I don’t want to bore you here.
The good thing is that I feel like things are getting better, and thanks to all of my Abraham Hicks training and applying their techniques and principles, I am feeling better than ever.
What Is Not Working?
A Family Funeral:
I had never been to a funeral with an open casket before. Seeing my father-in-law made me feel so sad. He looked like Dwight, and as my BFF put it so realistically, it was a real “mind fXXk.”
It was a beautiful ceremony, and I know he is in a better place, but I couldn’t stop crying the whole time. It was so difficult to watch my husband go through such a difficult time. It brought back the feelings I felt when I was burying my mom.
I know it is a part of life, but man, was it hard.
No time to Workout:
Last month, I talked about wanting to get back into a workout routine. Well, that did not happen. With all the challenges we went through during the month, I haven’t done much other than daily walks.
Sadly, I am not one of those people who likes to work out. But this month, I am determined to start, even if it is 15-20 minutes a day.
I will keep you posted.
What Brings You Joy?
If you have ever read the teachings of Abraham Hicks, you know that they want you to make feeling good a priority. And the best way to do that is to define what brings you joy and do more of it.
I currently love Ali Andrea’s Youtube channel that is all about makeup and skincare with Paris as her backdrop. She brings me so much joy and takes my mind off of things.
It is a nice change from my daily food-related work. Ali is such a fun person to watch and learn from if you are into that kind of stuff.
What brings you joy? Share it with me in the comments, will you?
I am taking a break from cooking classes until September. I hope you are enjoying your summer (or winter if you are in the Southern Hemisphere). Until next month…
Cheers,
Ice
Want to go back in time?
Here are a few of my life update posts from the past:
